


Quarantined

by BirdOfHermes



Series: The Thirst Trials [26]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Arguing, Avenger Loki (Marvel), Banter, Belligerent Sexual Tension, Canon Divergence - Post-Thor: Ragnarok (2017), Co-workers, F/M, Flirting, Isolation, Post-Thor: Ragnarok (2017), Pre-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Quarantine, SHIELD Agent Reader (Marvel), Sweet Loki (Marvel), Trapped
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-15
Updated: 2020-03-16
Packaged: 2021-02-28 16:40:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,630
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23150338
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BirdOfHermes/pseuds/BirdOfHermes
Summary: After returning from a mission, you and Loki are unfortunately quarantined together for 48 hours to make sure you're not both carriers for a deadly alien virus. You can survive that long trapped alone with an irate God of Mischief, right?
Relationships: Loki/Original Female Character, Loki/Reader, Loki/you
Series: The Thirst Trials [26]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1103739
Comments: 57
Kudos: 713





	1. Day One

**Author's Note:**

> Saiansha's gonna say this isn't her fault, but we both know it is, so let's move on. I know this idea is probably kind of callous considering, well--*gestures to the entire planet*--but we all know I am a slave to an idea once I've gotten it and so here I am offering up this trash for your entertainment while most of us are stuck indoors for a while. Really, though, be safe out there, y'all. Birdie loves you. Enjoy.

__

_He’s been living in a pure illusion_

_She’s got to come to her own conclusion_

_Right when you think you know what to say_

_Someone comes along and shows you a brand-new way_

_He said, I want something that I want_

_Something that I tell myself I need_

_Something that I want_

_And I need everything I see_

_Something that I want_

_Something that I tell myself I need_

_Something that I want_

_And I need everything_

_‘Cause it’s so easy to make believe it_

_Seems you’re living in a dream_

_Don’t you see that what you need is standing in front of you?_

_-“Something That I Want” by Grace Potter_

“I need twelve fucking hot showers.”

The Norse god at my side grunted in agreement. “I need a masseuse. And scented oils. I want to climb into a bath for seventeen years and not return to the mortal world until I am fully exfoliated and there is no trace of this bloody ichor.”

Loki, God of Mischief, flung another green glob of alien entrails onto the landing pad of the Quinjet, careful not to hit me, though it wouldn’t have made much difference, since I was also smeared in this mess as well. We’d been fighting a giant together and the final shot from my grenade launcher had split the damn thing in half. Its upper body had crashed down on top of us both, so Loki had shielded me and thus we were both drenched in its innards. Working for SHIELD as a weapons specialist and field agent was anything but boring, at least. And clean.

“If they don’t hurry up and clear us, I’m authorizing you to blow a hole in the hull,” I grumbled, narrowing my eyes at the doors that still had yet to open for some reason.

“As if you are in any way my superior,” Loki sniffed haughtily.

“Hey, technically, I outrank you on Midgard,” I pointed out with a sly look. “You may be a prince, but you’re not SHIELD. You’re freelance. That means I have more authority than you do.”

Loki sneered down at me. “Oh, I bloody dare you to give me an order, mortal. You will rue the day.”

I snorted. “I rue any day I get assigned to work with you.”

He smirked then. “Then we are on equal footing, my little pest.”

I shook my head, trying not to smile. Loki was a perpetual pain in the ass, but he was one of my favorite people to trade banter with in the field. He was also highly competent, truth be told. We’d run somewhere around eight to ten missions together so far, mostly dispatching rogue aliens still trickling in from the oncoming war with Thanos. I was basically considered crowd control. Sometimes I ran with an entire team and other times I went with just him to stop the smaller, individual threats.

Was he prickly, arrogant, and irrational? Absolutely. But I’d managed to earn his trust after about the fifth or sixth time we’d worked together, and now there was at least a rhythm to our interactions. We both liked jabbing at each other, for it was just harmless fun. Most people didn’t realize the trick to working with Loki was to not treat him like the big, bad wolf. He liked to be challenged. If you weren’t afraid of him and didn’t make the mistake of underestimating him, then he wasn’t nearly as insufferable.

I breathed a sigh of relief as the bay doors finally started to lower and stalked forward, intent on going straight to the nearest locker room and taking a thirty-minute shower.

I stopped after a couple of steps.

There were three SHIELD personnel in haz-mat suits, no one else on the deck, alarms whooping. I blinked at them in stupor. “Uh, what the hell, guys.”

“Agent,” the nearest one said. “You’ve been contaminated.”

“Yeah, no shit!” I said, gesturing to the green glop all over my uniform. “I’d like to get it off me if you’d get out of my way.”

“The alien breed that you terminated has a highly contagious virus that it’s known for,” the haz-mat douche continued with a severe tone. “We have to escort you both to the quarantine zone and test your blood to make sure you didn’t catch it.”

“What?!” Loki and I both bellowed.

“This is not a drill and this is not a joke. Please proceed to the quarantine zone or you will be taken there by force.”

“Oh, I’d like to bloody see you try,” Loki growled, reaching for his knife, but I grabbed his wrist.

“Loki, it’s for our own safety. They have to test us to make sure we don’t spread it, but also, if we did catch it, we need a cure.”

He glared at me. “I am an immortal. I do not carry viruses.”

I stood my ground. “You don’t know that for sure. Do you really want to drop dead out of nowhere?”

He kept glaring, but I could see him running the calculations and the logic through his brain. He snatched his arm free. “Fine.”

We marched off the tarmac and into the facility. The quarantine zone was a little bit different than what a government facility would have. The story went that Tony Stark had gone on a mission, came back, and got quarantined for a disease for 48-hours in one of those little clean rooms. He apparently got so bored that the second he got out of it he ordered that SHIELD create a miniature suite instead of a bare room with a cot, so if it ever happened again, at least this time he’d be comfortable.

Along the way, they took samples of blood and skin before ushering us to the clean room. It was about the size of a bedroom and a den smushed together, sporting a few amenities for one’s amusement: a table and two chairs, a sink, a shower, a water closet, and—

“ONE BED?!” I shouted in disbelief from the doorway. “Seriously?”

Loki whirled around, but by then, the doors had already slammed shut and sealed. “You are telling me that with all your technology and wealth in the SHIELD organization and you can only afford ONE bed?”

The haz-mat guy shrugged. “Sorry. It’s what we’ve got. You’ll be released in forty-eight hours or less when the tests have come back negative. You’re not under surveillance, so if either of you presents any symptoms, contact us immediately.”

With that, he simply left us.

We both stood there in irritated silence for a few seconds. “I should have been a fucking waitress.”

I sighed and stomped over to the standing shower in the corner. There were clean clothes folded and sitting on the bed, which to be fair, was at least a Queen-sized mattress and not a little cot. Tony’s bourgeoisie ways had saved us in that regard.

I smacked the knobs around until the water was scorching hot and stepped under it still fully clothed, as we would need to dump the items in the little bin built into the door for testing and there was no sense making a bigger mess. I got the entrails off me in less than five minutes and stepped out to let Loki have a go. The room was cold, to my dismay, so I peeled off my SHIELD jumpsuit as fast as humanly possible and pulled on the one-size-fits-all blue sweatshirt, pants, and socks they’d left behind.

Loki washed off in about the same amount of time, but luckily, he just magicked himself another outfit after disposing of the contaminated clothing. He sighed as he stared about the bare room. “I regret my decision to stay on this planet more and more with every day.”

I snorted softly. “So do I.”

He rolled his eyes at me. “Trapped together for two days. I am certain this will go well.”

“Swimmingly, I’m sure.” I rubbed my arms, trying to get warm, and took stock of things again. There was a flat screen on the far wall. I spotted a pack of UNO cards and some books on the table. I winced. He was right. It would be a bit rough stuck together for that long.

I sighed as I shuffled towards the bed. “Maybe if we’re lucky, they’ve installed Netflix.”

“Why? Are we going to Netflix and Chill?”

I whipped my head around and gawked at him. His grin was a mile wide. “Why do you know what that means?”

He shrugged one shoulder. “SHIELD agents talk, you know.”

A blush consumed my entire face. “Well, you can get that thought right out of your head.”

“It would be a good way to wile away the hours,” he purred as he sat at the edge of the bed and leered at me, but I knew better. He was just teasing me. Loki wasn’t happy if he wasn’t messing with someone.

“I’m sure you’ll get over it,” I growled, snatching up the remote and turning on the TV. He chuckled and stretched his enormous form out on the bed while I gathered up the comforter and wrapped around me protectively to keep out the cold. We were in luck, however. There was Netflix. Loki chortled upon this discovery and I told him to shut up. He just laughed some more and decided to take a nap while I hunted down a nature show and curled up at the other end of the bed.

Sigh. Day one.

* * *

“Do you intend to spend our entire imprisonment in that one spot watching this mindless drivel?”

“Yup.” I popped the P-sound just to be extra annoying. Loki groaned in his throat.

“I am bored, mortal.”

“So? Why’s that my problem?”

“Have you nothing you wish to ask me? I am a god. I have been alive for a thousand years. I have vast knowledge that may be of use or interest to you.”

I rolled my eyes. “Yes, Loki, I am dying to learn all your many secrets about Asgardian hair care products and how to perfect your evil laugh.”

He made a disgruntled noise and snatched up the remote. I leapt to my feet and lunged for him, but he held it over my head. “Loki, if you break that remote, I will kick you in the crotch so hard you’ll be wearing your testicles like earrings.”

Loki’s eyebrows lifted. “Then I suggest you amuse me if you wish for your ‘entertainment’ to survive.”

I stomped my foot. “Oh, you are such a child. You can’t stand not being the center of attention for more than five minutes.”

“Wrong answer.” He closed his fingers around it like he was about to snap it in half.

“You little shit, don’t you dare!” I jumped for it again, but he was too tall. I scowled and quickly leapt onto the bed and used it to hop onto his back like a koala bear, snatching it free while he was too busy being surprised. “Ha!”

“Oh, very clever, mortal.” Then he snapped his fingers and the remote just disappeared entirely. I clung to his shoulders in disbelief and then seethed.

“You. Are. Such. A. Dick.”

“A what?”

“Forget it,” I snarled as I let go of him and stomped towards the bed. I plopped down and crossed my arms, glaring at the TV. Unfortunately, I’d reached the last episode of the season that was available. It would play for another hour and then go idle without the remote to choose something new. Stupid freaking immature Norse god.

“Are you really going to sit there and pout for the next two days?”

“Yes. And ignore you. Which we all know is your one true weakness, because everything has to be about the great big peacock known as Loki.”

“Peacock?” he hissed.

“Yes,” I insisted. “You are a great big peacock. You need everyone to look at your pretty feathers and admire how clever you are while you strut around in circles soaking up the attention.”

He scowled. “I suppose I should be more like you: a frumpy little wallflower who would rather hide from everyone than be herself.”

I glared. “You don’t know a damn thing about me, Loki.”

“Don’t I? Your profession defines you, doesn’t it? You have nothing but SHIELD. No family, no lover, no life, so do not dare pass judgment over what you think you know about me.”

“What I know is that you’re a spoiled brat with a god complex that just happens to be literal. You love lording your royal status over me, don’t you? It’s the only thing you’ve got to justify why you’re such an ass-hat to everyone.”

“Why should I treat you as if you are my equal when you are not?” he spat, towering over me. “I wield magic. I live for thousands of years. I have commanded an army and ruled Asgard. What have you ever done in your fleeting little life that can compare to that, mortal?”

I leaned up into his face, making it as personal as possible. “I’m not the one who has let my jealousy of my brother ruin my entire life.”

Loki’s jaw clenched. I shouldn’t have said it, but he’d made me so angry that it slipped out. He could strike a nerve when he wanted to and he loved playing dirty. I’d just stooped to his level, foolishly, and I’d pay for it dearly.

He let out a low chuckle that made the hairs on my nape stand up. He brought his hand up around my throat and stooped until he was so close I felt his breath on my face. “Do you have any idea how easy it would be to simply snap your little neck, girl?”

“Of course I do. It’ll be exactly what the Hulk does to you for killing a SHIELD agent.”

Loki stiffened slightly. Not everyone knew about that Stark Tower footage on the day he attacked New York, but I did. The Hulk had pretty much walloped him no problem. Again, I shouldn’t have touched that nerve, but Loki had a way of getting under my skin.

After a moment, he just smirked a bit. “Well played, mortal. I will make you a deal. Keep that infernal television off for an hour and I will restore your remote.”

I sighed. He couldn’t help himself, not really. I’d have to play along or he’d get worse. “Fine. No TV for at least an hour after this program finishes, alright?”

“Agreed.” Loki’s fingers vacated my neck, but a little slower, I noted, than when they’d encircled it. Almost as if he were lingering over the touch. Hmm…

We finished watching the nature show together and then sat at the table. I walked him through how to play UNO, so we started a game.

“Since you insist that I do not know you,” Loki said as he made me draw four. “Tell me who you are.”

“Why? It’s not like you care,” I groused as I drew the cards.

“Let me be the judge of that.”

I heaved a sigh. “I’m an emotionally damaged ex-military field agent. There. That’s the short version.”

“Emotionally damaged?” he echoed.

“Yes. I have a problem with distancing myself from other people. Trust issues.”

“You are a spy,” he said dryly. “I believe you are supposed to not trust anyone.”

“That’s not what I mean. I…have trouble making friends because I think I’ll just disappoint them. So I don’t. You were right. I am my job. It’s all I have.”

The words came out bitter as grapefruit juice. I hated saying it out loud. My shrink nearly had to beat it out of me most of the time. I expected Loki to have another insult ready, but he didn’t. “You are an exceptional agent.”

I blinked up at him, expecting a cheeky smile or something, but he was dead serious. “I do not enjoy going into the field with Midgardians. It is difficult, for you are far slower and less powerful than us, but you are the only exception. You are a reliable asset in the field. Unflinching in the face of death. The shot that killed the giant was not easy. Few people would have the courage to take it. You may lack in your personal life, but you are highly skilled on the battlefield. That is not something to take lightly.”

I just stared dumbly at him. Then he did finally smile and nodded towards my hands. “Your turn, remember?”

I played a card. “I’m sorry for what I said about you earlier.”

“I needled you into that argument,” he conceded. “You were just retaliating. Do not apologize.”

I shook my head. “It was a fucked-up thing to say. I made it too personal.”

“As did I, so we are even, mortal.”

“You love calling me that, don’t you?”

“It bothers you?”

“Considering I can die at any second, yes.”

He eyed me then, but I didn’t meet his gaze. “Mm. What should I call you instead?”

“Dunno. Just pick something else for the time being.”

Finally, he gave me a cheeky grin. “Darling?”

I glared. “Sweetling? Love? Dearheart? Milady?”

“Oh, shut up,” I groaned. “You have to make everything so difficult, don’t you?”

“God of Mischief, remember?” He paused. “I will call you _søta_.”

“What does that mean?”

He smirked. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

“You know what? Just for that—” I smashed the draw four and skip card down and then my last one. “UNO, bitch.”

Loki groaned. “That was not fair. I have never played this game before. Again, _søta_ _._ ”

“Hey, I have no problem kicking your ass a second time.” I swept the cards together, shuffled them, and dealt again. We played thrice more and I won every time, which annoyed him, which made me very happy. The SHIELD agents came by with a status report that they were still running tests and dropped off our lunches. We ate. I asked him about Ragnarok, which I had heard secondhand from another Asgardian, and the way he told it had me completely enraptured all the way through dinnertime. It was absolutely batshit insane and I ate every second of it up, not caring if he was embellishing on the truth simply because it was such a great story.

After dinner, Loki asked me cultural questions, mostly related to language and history in the last couple of decades. The subject matter turned to dating and courtship, and that was when I found out a few things about Loki that I hadn’t expected.

“I am not sure I am understanding you, _søta_. You are telling me that the men on your world expect a sexual encounter with you simply because they bought you a meal and they get offended if you do not comply?”

“Yeah, that’s about the size of it.”

He stared at me in disbelief. “…bloody _why?”_

“Some kind of entitlement thing that the toxic part of society has perpetuated.”

“That is the most unchivalrous thing I have ever heard.”

“And yet it’s happened to me four times.”

 _“Four?”_ he snarled.

“Four,” I confirmed. “After the dates, they sent me angry text messages rambling about how I led them on and they shouldn’t have to pay for my meal if I’m not going to put out.”

“I will literally kill every last one of them,” he murmured. “Just give me their residences.”

I laughed. “Uh, no, Loki. It’s irritating, but it’s not worth dying over.”

I paused. “Though I would be fine if you just showed up and made them piss their pants. That would be pretty damn funny.”

He shook his head. “I wondered previously why you were unwed. I do not any longer.”

I ran that back in my brain for a second. “Why did you wonder why I wasn’t married?”

Loki swept the question aside. “Never you mind. So then this Netflix and Chill that I have heard so much about is an attempt at seduction for lesser men?”

“Basically, yes. You lure someone over with the promise of cuddling on the couch watching movies or TV, but really, you’re just trying to get in their pants.”

He scoffed. “That is utterly unromantic in every way.”

I shrugged. “It’s just how things are.”

“Ridiculous. I do not understand why modern courtship is so…discourteous to women. The whole bloody point is the pursuit. It should be fun for both parties involved, otherwise, why do it at all?”

I nodded sagely. “I agree, but some people just want to cut to the chase.”

“There is nothing wrong with enjoying sex for the sake of enjoying sex, but it is insulting to not even bother to properly seduce the lady of interest. It’s a matter of respect. Someone really ought to teach the men of your world a lesson.”

I bit my lip to keep a line from _Futurama’s_ Zapp Brannigan from flying out. It nearly killed me. “Yeah, they’re kinda dumb and awful sometimes. Not always, but sometimes.”

I cocked my head slightly as I looked at him. “What?” he asked.

“Why aren’t you married? You are a prince, after all. Isn’t that expected at some point?”

Loki laughed. “Do you see me as husband material, _søta_?”

I shrugged. “Well, I assume you have arranged marriages or something.”

“In the olden days, yes. Thor now sits on the throne. He does not condone it. Besides, with Odin gone, there is no rush to be married, for the only real reason for Asgard to care is if I were to produce an heir. I have no interest in becoming a father any time soon, so I am not in search of a wife. I prefer to be alone.”

I licked my lower lip, weighing the outcome if I asked this next question. “So…do you…y’know. Sleep with…Midgardian women?”

Loki’s lashes lowered over his eyes. “On occasion.”

“Mm. I suspected as much. The brunette receptionist on the sixth floor, right?”

His brows lifted in surprise. “How did you know?”

I grinned. “She watched you walk through the cafeteria once and I thought her head was gonna spin all the way around like a fucking owl or something.”

He laughed again. “Not very subtle, that woman, no. You have told me of your woes with men, so am I to assume it has been a while for you, then?”

I let my forehead thud against the table. “Don’t even get me started. It’s very depressing.”

“Why is it depressing, _søta_? You prefer to be alone, do you not?”

“I mean, yes, it’s just…” I groaned, trying to figure out how to put it in words. “Sometimes you just want to skip the awkward first meetings and go right to be able to have sex and cuddle with the right person. I’m fine by myself. I just…get the urge for something more every once in a while.”

“You could have that rather easily, you know.”

“It’s not as easy as you think. Not everyone’s a damned GQ model.”

“A what?”

I sat up and waved the comment away. “Nothing.”

Loki gave me a sly look. “I know what a model is, at least. You find me attractive, do you?”

I pursed my lips. “Marginally.”

He chuckled. “Are you always this defensive?”

I crossed my arms. “Only when locked in quarantine with a Norse god.”

“Shall I tell you a secret?”

“No.”

His eyes gleamed. “You want to know. Come now. Admit it.”

I scowled. “Oh, fine, go on.”

“The feeling is mutual.”

“What feeling?”

He rolled his eyes at me. “Don’t be obtuse, _søta_. You know exactly what I mean.”

I fidgeted. “Oh. Right. Well, thank you for saying so. That’s…flattering.”

“You are welcome.” He held up his hand, palm up. The TV remote materialized into it a second later. Loki batted his lashes at me. “Netflix and Chill?”

I snatched the remote out of his hand, huffing as I stood up. “In your dreams, Loki.”

He didn’t complain this time, so I rewarded him with a classic: _Kitchen Nightmares._ Loki’s reactions to the stuck-up chefs and clueless general managers was nothing short of hilarious. He understood enough of the process to vigorously enjoy it. We watched until late into the night. Once I started yawning a few times per episode, I decided we should call it a day.

“I hope you do not expect me to sleep on the floor,” Loki said as I drew back the blanket.

I rolled my eyes. “We’re both adults. It’s fine.”

“Good.” He swept his hand and went from his casual day clothing to night clothing, which consisted of a black long-sleeved shirt and silk pajama pants, no socks. I wished I’d been alone just so I could take off the sweatpants; they were kind of stifling to sleep in, but I didn’t have much choice. I was still about to be in bed with a coworker.

I flicked off the lights and climbed in on the right side. We both settled in the typical form of those not sleeping together: back to back on our sides facing away from one another. I shut my eyes and tried to let the day out of my thoughts, but by without the distraction of talking to Loki, my worries returned in full force. What if I had been infected? What if there was no cure? What if I’d die in here, never to see another sunrise, all my dreams dead along with me? It hadn’t truly hit me yet that this was serious. I’d gotten so used to life threatening situations working as a SHIELD agent, but the darkness and silence brought it all into full view. Shit.

"You're tense."

Goddamn it. Of course he noticed. He must have felt it when I curled up. "I might die, Loki. Like literally die. In an hour, in a day, in sixty seconds. Sorry, but yes, I'm a little tense."

I heard him sigh. "Come here."

I frowned. "What?"

"Just come here, you annoying little thing." I rolled my eyes, but begrudgingly flipped to my other side to face the Norse god in the one stupid bed in this one stupid room. I couldn't see him all that well, but I didn't really need to; a second later, he wound a long arm around me and dragged me up against him. I stiffened, surprised by the gesture, but he held me loosely even though we were chest-to-chest.

"You are not going to die," Loki said firmly. "Do you know why?"

I scowled, disbelieving of his conviction. "Why?"

"Because you annoy me and life is seldom ever that convenient. If you die, then I get the bed to myself, and we know Murphy's law can't allow that, can it?"

I tried so hard to glare, but I burst out laughing at the complete deadpan delivery of this information. It was like an avalanche. All that fear and tension suddenly just broke inside me and I couldn't stop laughing at how ridiculous he was being about a very serious matter.

"Right," I said once I'd finally managed to calm down. "That's motivation enough to survive this mess. I'm going to continue existing just because it gets on your nerves, Loki. Suck it."

"I beg your pardon?"

I froze. Oh shit. I forgot about the gaps in his slang sometimes. "Uh, sorry, that's a Midgardian slang term. It's like saying 'screw you'."

"Screwing means fucking, does it not?" he asked dryly.

"Well, yes."

"Mm. Being in this bed is starting to turn you into a lech, isn't it?"

"Oh, fuck off, Loki." I blushed as I realized I'd just done it again. "Dammit. I mean, eat shit. There. That's not sexual. Happy?"

He chuckled. "You are a strange one, aren't you?"

"Yeah, yeah. Shut up and go to sleep, Loki."

"Shall I 'fuck off' first?" I punched him in the ribs and fell asleep to the sound of him chuckling.


	2. Day Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Quarantine with Loki gets a bit more interesting.

I was so nice and warm. I didn't much care why. I probably should have, since I realized I had company. Nice company, in fact. I forgot when that had happened, but I didn't care about that either because whoever he was, he was firm and solid and he smelled like pine and I didn't mind being pressed up against him one bit—

"Are you awake?" a male voice purred in my ear.

"Mm," I mumbled sleepily. "I am now. Why'd you wake me up?"

"Because you've got your hand down my pants."

I froze. Uh oh. I knew that voice and that tone. I flexed my fingers to confirm and felt the outline of what was most definitely Loki's cock. "Shit!"

My eyes snapped open as I snatched my hand out of his pants and blushed so hard that I was sure there was no blood left in the rest of my body. "Oh my God, I am so sorry, I am so fucking sorry, Jesus Christ, I can't believe I just did that--"

Loki very calmly placed his hand over my mouth and I shut up in a hurry. He lifted an eyebrow. "Do I look to be angry or distressed to you?"

Slowly, I shook my head. He let go. "Then relax, before you give yourself a heart attack."

"I-I really mean it, I'm sorry, I didn't realize what I was doing and--"

"Oh, dear," he deadpanned. "An attractive woman had her hand around my cock, what ever shall I do? You have compromised my integrity and I will never be the same again."

I scowled at him. "Don't be an ass about it."

He rolled his eyes. "We are sharing a bed, woman. Of course some of your sexual impulses are being tested. You don't have to apologize for it. Simply ask next time."

I gave him a baffled look. "Ask next time?"

He gave me a slick grin, his eyes sparkling. "Yes."

I peered at him, trying to figure out if he was joking or not. The expression was inscrutable somehow. "You want me to ask before I fondle you in my sleep?"

"That is certainly impossible. No, I want you to ask the next time you want to fondle me in general."

"God, you're annoying."

His grin widened. "Yes, I'm sure it's very annoying how much you're going to be thinking about my cock for the rest of the day."

"Yes, except I'll be thinking about chopping it off if you don't leave me alone." I scooted off the bed and wrestled my sweatshirt into position, as it had slid up during the night.

"Oh, I can leave you alone," Loki mused. "Are you certain that you can leave me alone?"

"Absolutely certain," I sniffed. I then pointedly went to the sink and washed my hands, which just made him laugh. At least he liked my sense of humor.

They dropped off our breakfast and gave the same no-change status as last time, but this time they asked if we’d felt any unusual symptoms, which neither of us had. I put in a request for better fitting sweatpants and they said they’d look into it, but I wasn’t confident they’d bother.

“You are uncomfortable?” Loki asked, glancing at the loose cloth around my legs and waist. I’d had to pull the drawstring as tight as humanly possible to get it to stay on.

“Not a big deal, but I don’t have panties on under here and it doesn’t exactly feel awesome.”

“Permit me?” He raised his hand, indicating his magic.

I eyed him. “Fine, but you’d better pick something normal or I’m going to punch you.”

“Have a little faith in me, _s_ _øta_.” He made a simple gesture. The baggy sweatpants morphed into a simple pair of blue jeans in my size, not too tight, not too loose. It made me wonder how that worked. It was kind of neat.

Until I realized I had _another_ bit of clothing as well.

“…did you just magic _lingerie_ onto me?”

Loki raised his eyebrows, trying to look innocent. “You said you had no undergarments and it was uncomfortable.”

I blushed furiously as I pulled the hem of the jeans out enough to inspect what he’d given me. They were just plain black cheekies, covered with a cute lace pattern, nothing too fancy. I had a similar pair at home, in fact. “You pervert.”

He made an exasperated noise. “I am not making a pass at you. I did so to prevent chafing. If it’s such a bloody problem, I will remove them.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “Oh, I bet you’d love that.”

“With magic,” he clarified, but he smirked anyway. “But if you prefer the old-fashioned way—”

I smacked him in the arm before he could finish. “How does it work anyway?”

“It depends. It is easier to convert what is already there into the item that I wish it to be than to simply pluck it out of the air.”

“What about the panties? How did you know my size?”

“That is complicated.” He paused to think. “Consider it in this manner: when my magic touched you, it assumed all knowledge of your dimensions, so when I summoned the clothing, the magic ‘knew’ your size and chose appropriately. I also had an estimation in mind, so that influenced the magic as well.”

“Interesting. What about your knives? They’re usually the same kind every time.”

He flicked those long fingers and a dagger appeared, which he offered to me. “I keep a pocket dimension for them, so it’s nothing more than a simple summoning spell.”

“A pocket dimension, huh?” I said, spinning the dagger between my fingers. “That’s handy. I’ve seen you make illusions of yourself and others as well. How much magic do you have? Is it like some kind of power reserve or do you have, I don’t know, recharge at some point?”

“It is most directly related to my health. If I were to be beaten badly enough, my magic would be little to nothing. It’s a well to draw from, but the well can run dry if I’m at the end of my rope. It’s not all that dissimilar from how your bodies function on Midgard: food, rest, sex, all those things that allow you to be healthy.”

“Were you born with it or did you learn?”

“Most Asgardians are born with the ability and simply learn how to harness it. No two magics are the same, however. Thor wields power magic. Mine is far more subtle.” He flicked his fingers again and the dagger transformed into a diamond tennis bracelet with flawless 1-carat stones. He caught my arm and fastened it to my right wrist.

“Are these real?”

“Why would I give you fake diamonds? I am not a pauper.”

“Great, because I’m keeping them and selling them on eBay the second we get out of here.”

He rolled his eyes. “Good to know my gift is so deeply appreciated, _s_ _øta._ ”

“Oh, you’re one of those boyfriends, aren’t you?” I teased. “Flowers and chocolates and jewelry?”

“Mock me if you wish, but I still believe in the old ways. Ladies should be lavished with attention and gifts so that they understand how much they are appreciated.”

“I’m not mocking you,” I said as I rested my head on one hand. “Not now, anyway. I think it’s sweet. I wouldn’t have thought you were into that sort of thing.”

“What sort of thing did you think I was into?”

I shrugged. “Shallow but hot sex, no strings attached.”

“I am no stranger to that, I admit, but every so often, I think a relationship has its benefits.”

“Wow. Loki as someone’s boyfriend. Can’t imagine what that’s like.”

He winked at me. “Care to find out firsthand?”

“Oh, please, Loki, we would kill each other in a week if we dated.”

“Undoubtedly, but the sex would be worth it.”

I laughed before I could stop myself. Of all the things I thought Loki could be, charming hadn’t been one of them until now. Somewhere in there, I realized why I’d seen such a change in his behavior.

He was distracting me.

I thought about last night when we’d shared the bed, how afraid I’d been, until he made me laugh. Then I’d been able to relax and sleep through the night. It was silly that I hadn’t noticed before. It was terribly decent of him to take it upon himself to keep my mind off of the virus. I’d always thought that working with him in the field left no impact on him. Maybe…maybe he actually… _liked_ me.

What a strange thought.

I smiled at him. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For last night. And everything you’re doing right now.”

Loki searched my gaze for a moment, then nodded to me slightly. “You are welcome. Are there any more episodes of that brilliant man who yells at restauranteurs?”

“Of course there are.” We both relocated to the bed and I turned on another season of _Kitchen Nightmares._ That, too, was a bit interesting. I noticed that we both sat a little closer together, nearly touching, and it didn’t seem weird.

We watched through lunchtime and then Loki insisted on another round of UNO, hoping to finally defeat me to regain his honor.

“What about animals? Could you summon a snake or something?” I asked.

“It becomes another matter entirely with living creatures. They do not travel well with magic. I can shapeshift or change others, but that is the extent of my abilities.”

“That’s probably for the best. I can’t imagine teleporting a cat would be good for anyone involved.” I considered something else I’d always wanted to ask him. “Do you know how to cook?”

Loki raised an eyebrow. “I am a grown man. Why would I not know how to cook?”

I snorted. “Oh, boy, you’re in for a rude awakening.”

He frowned. “Men on Midgard do not know how to cook?”

“Plenty of them do, but there are a lot who don’t.”

“That is absurd.”

I stifled a giggle. “They think that women should cook, mind you. You know, be the little homemaker.”

He rolled his eyes very hard. “That is it. I am banning you from courting the men on this planet.”

“You’ll hear no argument from me.”

“Hopefully not, because—” He hit me with a draw four, skip, and then lay down his final card. “UNO.”

“Sneaky demigod,” I groused. “Fine, you won one. Happy?”

“Ecstatic. Now then, for my reward, I wish for you to explain this concept of…” He struggled to remember the term for a second. “…social media to me?”

I grinned. “I would make so much goddamn money if I made you an Instagram account.”

“Insta-what?”

I beckoned him. “Just come on.”

We sat on the bed and I pulled out my phone. I showed him the usual suspects: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr, and Snapchat. He still seemed baffled by the concept of constantly sharing your life with random strangers, but the technology itself he picked up on rather quickly.

“And these photos people take of themselves, I understand are called selfies?”

“Yes.”

“Do you take them?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

I shrugged. “I don’t think I’m particularly attractive, and that’s kind of the point—fishing for compliments and getting likes and clicks—so I don’t bother.”

“Hmm,” he said. “What about if you are with friends?”

“Sure, sometimes they want to take them.”

“Hmm,” he said again. “What do you think would be the reaction if you posted one with me?”

I lifted both brows. “Uh, you are a semi-wanted war criminal, remember?”

“Ah, point taken.”

“Then again, you are insanely popular in certain circles.”

“I beg your pardon?”

I tried not to laugh. “Loki, you’re like 6’3’’, dressed in tight leather pants, stupid amounts of handsome and intelligent, and you have an accent. There’s an entire demographic of human women online who want to fuck your brains out.”

Several emotions played over his face in the span of a couple seconds, all of them hilarious. “I…am popular. On the planet that I came to destroy and enslave several years ago.”

“Loki,” I told him with a straight face. “Seriously, they would let you enslave them in a heartbeat.”

He blinked at me. “I do not understand Midgard, _s_ _øta_.”

“That’s fine, because we frankly don’t even understand ourselves. Here, look, there’s a whole site devoted to sightings of you out in public.” I handed him the phone. He scrolled through it, still blinking in stupor at the fervor of said fans.

“…what does thirst mean in this context?”

I laughed. “Uh, that’s a modern way of describing sexual desire for another person.”

“They are very thirsty,” he told me seriously. I laughed harder.

“It actually wouldn’t be the worst idea ever if we did set you up with an Instagram or something. You could answer questions. It might help your image and reputation.”

“I am a sociopath at best. I am not certain anything is going to help my reputation.”

“Even so, it might be fun for you if you want to keep learning about Midgardian culture on your own.”

He considered that for a moment. “I will think it over. If I do such a thing, you will have to show me.”

“Oh, good, I’ve signed myself up to be your social media manager. Brilliant.”

“Yes,” he said crisply. “Now you will teach me how to take a selfie.” 

I shook my head at him. “You’re going to take to this like a fish to water, I can already tell.”

I switched my phone over to the front facing camera and handed it to him. “Your arms are longer, so hold it up like this and then make sure you’re in the frame completely. You can add these things called filters if you want, but honestly, it’s not like you need it. Then you hit the button in the middle when you want to take the photo and you’re done.”

“And where does it go once I have taken it?”

“It doesn’t post automatically. It’ll just be in my pictures.”

“Good. Take it with me.”

I blinked at that. “Okay.”

He leaned into my side so our faces were more level. Neither of us grinned or anything, just gave friendly looks into the camera, and he snapped the photo. He handed me the phone back. “Now what is a filter?”

“It’s better if we use Snapchat, actually.” I flipped over to the app and showed him a bunch of the most popular ones. He found them bizarre, but he understood the appeal after fooling around with them for a bit. We made a bunch of very stupid Snaps that sent us both into gigglefits by the time we were done, not sending them to anyone in particular, just goofing off.

“Now I want one of you,” Loki insisted. “Just you.”

I whined. “Why? I’m in a sweatshirt and my hair isn’t done and I don’t even have makeup on!”

“It is you in your natural state, isn’t it?”

“Well, yeah, but—”

“Then we shall consider it a self-portrait.” He held up my phone. “Look up.”

I glared. He chuckled. “Fine, then we will go with that expression.”

He snapped it and then admired it for a moment. “Ah, the look of murder on your face is most appealing.”

“Oh, shush,” I griped as I stole it back and then snapped one of him in revenge. Not that it was much revenge. He was so handsome you couldn’t really catch him at a bad angle. So I just put cat ears on the photo instead.

“You are a riot,” he deadpanned, glowering. “Delete it.”

I hovered a finger over the post button. “Come one inch closer and I’ll post it.”

“You would not dare.”

“Try me.”

I’d scarcely gotten the words out before he pounced and pinned me under him, snatching the phone long before I could hit the button. Damn Asgardian reflexes. He gave me a supremely smug look. “The best laid plans of mice and men often go astray, _s_ _øta._ ”

“You callin’ me a mouse, Loki?”

The demigod clucked his tongue. “Why, I would never.”

He didn’t budge, either. “You should reconsider your thoughts about photography, you know.”

“Why?”

His blue-green eyes roved over my face. “You are rather…pretty this way.”

That surprised me. “What, with a Norse god straddling me on the bed?”

He smiled softly. “No, when you are being yourself. Difficult and sarcastic and honest and vulnerable. I would not mind a picture of that.”

I didn’t know what to say to that. I knew my heart rate was climbing and that he could probably feel it with his hands on my wrists, just above the diamond tennis bracelet I was still wearing. I couldn’t read him sometimes, but now most of all. He seemed as if he were waiting for something.

Loki inched closer, until his warm breath brushed my cheeks. His scent surrounded me. My eyes wanted to shut for some reason. My lips felt a little sensitive, tingly. Like he’d cast a spell over me. He hadn’t, but the air between us turned thick and electric with tension. He tilted his head, his nose brushing my cheek.

Someone knocked on the door.

Oh. It was dinner time.

Loki cast a glare in the direction of the interruption, sighing and muttering something in Old Norse under his breath as he climbed off of me. Whatever tension had been between us dispersed as we collected our food and ate, still keeping the conversation going, learning more about each other. We stayed up a while, still talking, and then watched more Kitchen Nightmares until it was late.

I hadn’t realized I’d nodded off until Loki brushed my hair off my cheek. I stirred and found I’d been leaning on his shoulder. “Sorry. Bedtime.”

“Mm. What would you prefer to sleep in?”

I yawned. “Surprise me.”

Loki flicked a hand and my SHIELD sweatshirt changed into a tank top and boy shorts. Very short boy shorts. I glowered. He smirked. “What? You wanted to be surprised.”

“Ass.”

He chuckled and changed them into a pair of women’s boxer shorts instead; the kind that came down to mid-thigh. I shimmied under the covers and didn’t feel the need to roll over this time, hoping that my assumption was right. It was. Loki climbed in next to me and looped his arm around me, settling one leg between my knees. I mustered up the courage to rest my arm over his side. He was warm and solid, relaxed against me like a big cat of some sort. My eyes adjusted after a while in the dark and his were closed for the moment, so I just admired him silently.

“Sleep, _s_ _øta._ ”

“I’m trying.”

“Try harder.”

“Yes, thanks, that’ll fix me alright.”

“What usually makes you sleepy?”

“Nothing we have in this room right now: chamomile tea, aromatherapy, very boring textbooks.”

“Mm. Point taken. We’ll just have to try something else, then.” The hand at the small of my back slowly started rubbing over that one spot. I bit my bottom lip, just barely managing to swallow a moan. Christ, that felt so fucking good. My toes curled. My eyes rolled back in my head. I was weak for a back massage, especially by someone who knew what they were doing, and Loki certainly did.

Once I relaxed into it, he stroked up and down my spine, his fingertips tracing the spot between my shoulder blades. I wiggled slightly under his touch. “Mm, not there, ticklish.”

Loki chuckled softly. “Ah. Forgive me.”

I opened my eyes enough to squint at him. “You’d better not be thinking about exploiting that.”

“Tsk, tsk,” he said, his eyes glittering like gems in a cave. “Don’t you trust me?”

“Yeah, about as far as I can kick you. You wouldn’t be so high and mighty if you were ticklish.”

“Who says I’m not?”

That perked me up. “Really? Where?”

“Guess.”

“Hmm…I’d say either neck or stomach.”

“Clever girl. But which one?”

“How should I know?”

“Care to find out?” he challenged.

I knew we were entering very dangerous territory, but I couldn’t resist. “Are you giving me permission?”

“If you want.”

I suppressed a shiver at the implication that he didn’t mind me touching him. Wow. That…did it for me in a lot of different, scary ways. It was far too tempting to say no.

I slipped my hand beneath his shirt. He inhaled as he felt my fingertips along his hipbone on their way to his abdomen. He had scars peppered over his skin in certain places, but they were old and mostly faded out, from how they felt against my hand. The telltale sign of being ticklish was usually an involuntary response, either breathing funny or wiggling, and he didn’t do either, so I switched tactics.

Against my better judgment, I scooted close enough reach his elegant, swan-like throat and kissed over his pulse.

Loki let out a long, slow breath, and it sounded a bit shaky. Aha.

“Gotcha,” I whispered in his ear.

Loki’s hand closed over my waist and he rolled me onto my back, hovering over me, breathing too hard and too fast all of the sudden. A low buzz of arousal filled his voice as he spoke from inches away. “There is another activity that I could perform to help you sleep, _s_ _øta._ ”

“Really?” I asked, feigning innocence, but I wasn’t fooling anyone. I clung to his sleeves, trembling with excitement and anticipation beneath him. “What’s that?”

He buried his face in my hair, his lips right beside my ear. “I could give you an orgasm. Or two. Or _several.”_

My mouth blurted out the words long before my brain had time to think this through. “Yes please.”

Loki all but lunged for my lips and I met him halfway there, throwing my inhibitions to the wind. I didn’t care about SHIELD’s fraternization policy. I didn’t care about the alien virus that may or may not have been coursing through me. I didn’t care about how stupid I was being to fall for the God of Mischief. I just let go. I’d wanted to let go.

Because I knew Loki would catch me.

I yanked at his shirt impatiently and he removed it for me. I regretted that it was so damned dark in here, for I wanted to see it for myself, but the faint light was just enough to let me enjoy all the long, artful curves that made up his chest and abs and narrow waist. Fuck, he was beautiful. I ran my nails down his pectorals first, ending with his six pack, and he groaned as his big hands cupped either side of my waist. He pulled the shorts off, but left the panties for now, only so he could start to tease me. He flattened his hand against my pelvis and rubbed me through the lace, the friction eliciting sharp cries from my lips. Then he slid them in and gently cupped my sex, swallowing the first indulgent moan that escaped. I ached all over, impatiently rolling my hips down against his hand, eager for more. He obliged me a second later, pushing his middle finger in enough to breach me. Heat devoured me. I felt so stifling that I threw off the tank top in a hurry and threw my arms around his neck, digging my nails into those broad shoulders as he pressed his finger deeper. He pumped it into me in random intervals, fast, then slow, as if testing me.

“Mm, what a delightful little quim,” he breathed, biting the edge of my lower lip. “So wet. Shall I have a taste?”

I shuddered. “God, yes, please, Loki.”

“Spread your legs for me. There’s a good girl.” Loki left messy, scorching kisses down the center of my chest, my stomach, his hands peeling off the underwear as he went. He bit the inside of both my thighs and I cried out, arching up from the bed. I’d have love bites left behind for sure. He tossed my legs over his shoulders and navigated one hand to my spot, his thumb finding my clit just before he descended. He licked my outer petals first in long, luxurious laps, his tongue unfairly dexterous, and I lost what little control I had left. I cried out as the first peak of pleasure raked through me in a white-hot flash and grabbed the back of his head, pushing him closer. He didn’t resist; he went to town on my cunt as if it were a five-course meal at a fine dining restaurant.

“L-Loki, ah, oh, God, please!” I twisted his dark locks between my fingers as I rode his face, sweat clinging to every inch of me as he fucked me with that talented tongue. He licked a stripe up over my slick walls and then bestowed the attention right where I wanted it, slipping two fingers inside me as he growled over the sound of my cries.

“Come for me, _s_ _øta._ Come for your Loki.”

His words undid me. My orgasm surged out of me all at once. I soared over the moon and into the Milky Way galaxy. Oh, what a man, what a mouth.

Sometime later, I stirred when Loki popped my bra loose and wrapped his lips around my breasts, licking, nibbling softly over the areolas until he had me mewling. I managed to wedge my hand underneath his pajama pants and he purred as my fingers encircled his cock, stroking it harder and harder. He was hung, to my delight, but then again, I’d gotten accidental preview this morning. He let out the most delicious sighs and moans as I kept stroking him, picking up speed.

Finally, he slid his hand up into my hair and drew my head back, cradling it with his arm. He knocked my hand away and pulled off the pajama pants, settling his heavy, lithe frame on top of me. He kissed me senseless, only stopping long enough to growl out, “May I have you, my sweet?”

One simple question and yet it made me feel so bold and in control. “Yes, Loki.”

He guided his cock into me.

Nothing compared.

Nothing even came close.

We cried out in unison as Loki’s cock glided into me seamlessly, as if I were made for him and vice versa. He sent all my nerves spinning off into fireworks all at once; a chaotic, beautiful, dangerous sensation. Loki moaned out my real name once he’d sunk in to the hilt, my sopping wet core flexing all around the column of scalding flesh. I couldn’t do much other than cling to him, gasping madly for air, so deeply entangled in everything that was him. He gripped the side of my hip and then wrapped my leg around his waist, anchoring us both.

And then he fucked me into the mattress like a wild animal.

Raw, untamed pleasure flickered up over my bare skin in suffocating wave after wave. I didn’t try to weather the storm, for there was no way to withstand a god on a mission. I returned every sloppy kiss, arching my back to help him reach deeper, trailing my hands over his pale skin everywhere that I could reach. I couldn’t tell if it was mere minutes or entire hours.

His fingers tightened in my hair as he reached the edge with me, his ragged voice in my ear as he panted out, “Come, _s_ _øta._ Come for me again. Come with all you’ve got. Come on my cock.”

He angled his hand between us and rubbed my clit with two fingers, angling himself as deep as he could reach. I screamed and bit down over the sensitive spot along his neck as I did just that, coming hard and unrestrained on Loki’s cock. He roared in response, releasing everything at once, drowning me in ecstasy in the process. I took it all, every last drop, spinning dizzily through my orgasm.

“Mm, you were right,” I slurred happily as I felt him nuzzling my neck. “Orgasm by Norse god cock is definitely the cure for insomnia.”

Loki laughed. “I am happy to have supplied the cure.”

He kissed my forehead. “Now sleep, _s_ _øta._ I will be here in the morning when you wake.”

“Good. Sweet dreams, Loki.”

-

“You’re not infected,” the haz-mat SHIELD agent told us the next morning. “Your quarantine is officially over when you sign these forms.”

He pushed them through the slot. I held the clipboard in my hand, pen poised, staring at the paper that said we had a clean bill of health. I stared for long enough that the haz-mat guy cleared his throat impatiently.

“You know,” Loki purred. “I am feeling a bit under the weather.”

Oh, the smooth bastard.

“Yeah,” I said. “Me too. There’s a such thing as a false negative. Maybe just to be safe, we should get the bloodwork rechecked. Shouldn’t take more than a day, right?”

Haz-mat guy heaved a sigh as I passed the clipboard back to him. “See you in twenty-four hours.”

He sealed the slot and left again. Loki’s arms encircled me, his lips finding my ear. “Oh, dear. It seems we have a whole day to kill. I wonder what we’ll get up to with our free time.”

I clucked my tongue. “Damn quarantine.”

“Damn indeed.”

FIN


End file.
